Finally started on my first cap. Using #2s and now thinking for my first one I should have gone for something using bigger needles. I can tell the stitch is going to look great but as you seasoned people know, it's gonna take me a while to feel like I am getting anywhere. Oh well.

So I sat down with my supplies to attempt my first hat. Nice alpaca yarn, two skeins, not wound into a ball or in a workable roll, just skeins. I had hand wound some yarn I spun myself so i thought no problem, I will just make a ball by hand. It seemed like in seconds I had a mess of yarn. Fighting the urge to pull hard I worked the length I had into a ball, worked it through the maze, wound some more, worked the maze, shook it, wound some more. As I type this I still have a mess but this is me taking a break so as not to get even more frustrated. I will be taking the second one back to the store and having them wind it on that thingamajig that does it in seconds versus the hour or so it will take me. Sigh.

Just wanted to know what experiences people have had getting onto a plane with their knitting. I have heard that wooden needles are okay but the metal ones are not. I would hate to get to a gate and have them say I can't take it on. Thanks!

Um, well I have started a new project which really is just a scarf but working with a different textured yarn which is the new part. I also just bought more needles, a pattern and yarn for another project and i have some other yarn for another project that I am thinking about. Starting to get piles of knitting things. Is this a disease I have caught??

It was around this time last year that my neighbor and her 90+ year old mother taught me the knit stitch. I just finished my third scarf for a friend who will be visiting next week ( I am slow). Tonight I sat down with some yarn and a book and taught myself the purl stitch. Yes, I only knew the knit stitch but it was enough for me at the time. Like learning the knit stitch my arms are sore from new learning but I know this will pass. While I was able to figure the stitch out I am not sure how I should be holding the yarn so that it flows. Think I will call on my neighbor again for some advice. Afterall, she is 70ish and has been knitting a long time.